This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
July 7, 2020 - Nairobi, Kenya - The Kenyan government has urged citizens to take personal responsibility in the fight against COVID-19, as the country's numbers surge to 8,250 with 167 deaths.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe stressed that lifting travel restrictions does not mean Kenyans should lower their guard, and that the responsibility to stay safe lies with the individual.
“The torch of responsibility has been passed to the normal citizen, the church, the office, county government, has been passed to Kenyans in general. This responsibility is clear and is not difficult,” he said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had lifted travel restrictions to and from the capital Nairobi, Mombasa, and Mandera on Monday, but extended the countrywide night curfew until August 6.
Kagwe emphasized the importance of following public health regulations, including wearing a mask in public places and washing hands or using a sanitizer regularly, and urged citizens to keep off crowded places or market centers to avoid exposing themselves to the virus.
“Civic responsibility is not a demand placed on the self by the state. It is not a demand that can be enforced. It is a duty you pay to your fellow countrymen for co-existing with them,” he said.
